Mark's end

Mark woke before the sun, as he always did.

5:30 AM.

No alarm needed. His body just… knew.

He rose from the couch carefully so the springs wouldn’t squeal and disturb anyone. The blanket slid off his shoulders and pooled on the carpet. He folded it neatly, set it on the armrest, and stretched the stiffness out of his back.

Another long day ahead. But first — breakfast.

The kitchen was silent, dim, peaceful. Mark liked it this way; it felt like the only hour of the day that was still his.

He moved through the motions with practiced ease. As he cooked, he started a load of laundry. Then he wiped the counters, swept the floor, and took out the trash. Heaven forbid Sarah or Linda lifted anything heavy in their condition.

He fixed a loose kitchen drawer, too. Kyle kept pulling it open with “too much enthusiasm,” according to Linda.

After everything was tidy, warm, and organized, he finally sat to eat his own breakfast — cold toast and leftover oatmeal.

Right on cue, he heard the first sounds of life upstairs.

A few minutes later, Kyle and Sarah waddled into the kitchen, one hand on her pregnant belly. Her oversized T-shirt stretched tight across the curve of it.

“Morning, honey,” she said, her voice sweet.

She walked right past him, her hands wrapped around Kyle, as Kyle poured himself one of the protein shakes Mark made. Kyle grinned over his shoulder at her affection.

Mark didn’t think anything of it — Kyle was part of the household now. Family friend.

Sarah finally turned toward Mark. She blew him a soft kiss from across the kitchen.

“Thanks for breakfast, sweetie,” she said warmly. Then she rubbed her belly. “You know… I really think these babies happened because I love you so much.”

Mark’s chest filled with quiet pride. He still didn’t understand the timing — there had been more exhaustion than intimacy over the past months — but love created its own miracles, right?

“I’m glad,” he murmured. “I’m really glad, Sarah.”

Sarah smiled warmly before leaning against Kyle, who fussed with her maternity top to get her comfortable. “By the way, I think it’s time for your ‘special session’ — gotta make sure everything’s working perfectly!” she chirped.

Mark swallowed nervously, unsure about letting Kyle handle things this way, but Sarah and even his mom insisted it was fine. “Do you need help, honey?” he asked, hovering awkwardly. Sarah had already disappeared under the table, only the top of her head bobbing slightly above Kyle’s trousers.

Mark watched, bewildered but obedient. The noises were strange — muffled thumps and occasional gag, sometimes it sounded really naughty for some reason.

Finally, Sarah reemerged, tilting her head back as if presenting her work. Kyle grinned. “Go on, give him a taste.”

This was the real reason why Mark loved her “deep-throat massages” — he always got a kiss from his wife. Lately, it was the only time she even touched his lips at all, so when she approached him, he eagerly opened his mouth.

She pressed her lips to his in a sweet, creamy kiss. Their mouths met again and again, leaving him a little smeared and breathless, fumbling to return the gesture. Mark’s hands hovered awkwardly, unsure where to rest, but he didn’t care — he was caught up in the warmth, the tiny, stolen moment of closeness.

After a moment, Sarah pulled back slightly, her eyes sparkling. “There, all done,” she said softly, brushing a stray smear from his cheek.

Linda waddled in next, caressing her visibly pregnant belly. Mark was honestly happy for her, although it was a bit weird not to know who is the father of his own brother.

“Morning, sweetheart,” she said to Mark. “Are you heading to work soon? If you could pick up more groceries on your way home, that’d be perfect. The three of us eat a lot.”

“Of course,” Mark said brightly. “I’ll handle it.”

He was proud of providing.

He grabbed his bag, kissed Sarah on the forehead, gave his mom a gentle squeeze on her arm, and nodded politely to Kyle — who was already leading both women back upstairs to “get them comfortable for the day.”

Mark didn't mind. He liked that Kyle helped out around the house.

At lunch, Mark sat alone at his desk in the break room, scrolling through his phone while nibbling a simple sandwich.

He checked the shared family earnings tracker.

It pinged with new income.

Sarah & Linda’s OF Business: +$683.40 (Kyle featured!)

Mark smiled proudly. Ever since his wife and mother teamed up with Kyle for online entrepreneurship, the extra money had really helped with bills. The pictures and videos were… creative, sometimes unusual, but Mark admired their courage.

From what he’d seen in the morning, Kyle had been hands-on, guiding both Sarah and Linda through their routines — adjusting props, helping them get the angles just right, making sure everything looked polished. Odd, but clearly effective.

“They’re really doing their best,” he thought with genuine warmth. And Kyle… he’s really guiding them to succeed.

10:22 PM.

Mark returned home.

The house was quieter now, except for the bed frame upstairs. A soft, rhythmic creak, punctuated by occasional muffled sighs and tiny thumps.

Mark froze, fork halfway to his mouth, listening. Sarah and Linda were probably… reorganizing the bedroom again, he told himself. Maybe Kyle was helping them move furniture, or testing the new mattress.

He cleaned the kitchen, washed the dishes, prepped snacks for the next day, and packed lunches.

His mom wandered past, unusually bare and carefree. Mark noticed odd markings on her skin — "Kyle's slut" — and frowned, puzzled. Weird handwriting… why would she label herself that way?

He folded the laundry he’d started at dawn. He sorted the baby clothes. He restocked the diapers.

Finally, exhausted but content, he lay down on the couch with his thin blanket.

He glanced at the framed photo on the wall — Sarah holding their baby, a crescent smile on her face as she pressed her cheek to the tiny, swaddled bundle. He loved that picture. He wasn’t in it — he’d been at work — but he loved it all the same.